une 2022, Vol. 22, No. 3 M
ANUFACTURING
T
ECHNOLOGY
ISSN 1213–248
297
indexed on: http://www.scopus.com
DOI: 10.21062/mft.2022.040 © 2022 Manufacturing Technology. All rights reserved. http://www.journalmt.com
Using Six Sigma DMAIC Cycle to Improve Workplace Safety in the Company
from Automotive Branch: A Case Study
Krzysztof Knop (0000-0003-0842-9584)
Faculty of Management, Czestochowa University of Technology. Armii Krajowej 19B, 42-200 Czestochowa.
Poland. E-mail: krzysztof.knop@wz.pcz.pl
The article presents the results of the use Six Sigma DMAIC cycle to improve workplace safety and decre-
ase the cost associated with work accidents in the company from the automotive branch. Selected tools
of the DMAIC cycle were used at each stage: the project card and the Pareto-Lorenz diagram at the define
(D) stage, the matrix diagram at the measure (M) stage, the Ishikawa diagram with the verification of
causes at the analysis (A) stage, the 5WHY method at the improve (I) stage and the c control chart at the
control (C) stage. Each of the successive stages was based on the results of the previous one in order to
achieve a lasting solution for the analysed problem by the implementation of remedial measures. Because
of the implementation of remedial measures, the level of work safety in the examined company was im-
proved. The DMAIC analysis made it possible to identify the main causes (Xn) of accidents at work and
to objectively evaluate them in order to discover the root cause (Xn!) of the problem. The root cause
turned out to be inadequate protection of the lathe due to the protective cover installed too far away from
the lathe chuck, which resulted in the catching of protective sleeves or gloves of the lathe operators and
accident events in the form of upper limb damage. The solution to this problem was to reduce the gap
between the guard and the lathe chuck by adjusting the guard so that no more items of workers' clothing
were caught while the machine was running. The article proves the effectiveness of using the Six Sigma
DMAIC cycle in analyzing and improving the state of occupational safety and is an incentive to use this
cycle and a specific set of tools to analyze similar problems.
Keywords: quality management, work safety management, risk management, Six Sigma, DMAIC, improvement
Introduction
An inseparable element of management is the
search for opportunities to improve the organization,
increase its efficiency and effectiveness [1, 2]. The
need for continuous improvement of the organization
is a consequence of continuous and dynamic changes
taking place in the environment of the organization
and inside it [3]. Introducing continuous improvement
to the practice of management means starting the pro-
cess of building an intelligent and self-improving or-
ganization in a continuous manner [4]. The real value
of continuous improvement lies in creating an organi-
zation that is constantly learning and creates an envi-
ronment that not only accepts change, but also actua-
lly supports it. Continuous improvement can be im-
plemented according to two scenarios - evolutionary,
assuming slow improvement of activities, and revolu-
tionary, assuming a radical restructuring of the activity,
which scenarios are not mutually exclusive, but may
be complementary [5]. Three areas of organizational
improvement can be defined: business, processes and
contractors [3]. Improving processes includes carrying
out the right measurements, drawing conclusions
from them and turning them into effective initiatives
to improve processes [5]. The subject of continuous
improvement of processes is not all processes, but ma-
inly components of economic processes of key impor-
tance for the organization [6]. For this reason, organi-
zations undertake pilot attempts to improve proces-
ses, which boils down to carrying out projects to im-
prove selected processes of the enterprise.
One of the concepts of continuous improvement
of the organization aimed at process improvement, as-
suming an evolutionary approach to improvement is
the Six Sigma method. It is known as a universal met-
hod that can be used in any organization [7, 8, 9]. Six
Sigma is a highly customer-oriented, formalized, and
systematic method that uses highly specialized analyti-
cal and design tools, the use of which must be taught
to employees [10]. Six Sigma requires equipping em-
ployees with appropriate knowledge on the use of me-
thods and tools for the analysis and systematic impro-
vement of the processes in which they are to partici-
pate [11]. In the case of improving the existing proces-
ses, the methodology referred to as DMAIC (Define-
Measurement-Analyse-Improve-Control) [12] is pri-
marily used here. The DMAIC cycle is not limited to
Six Sigma and can be used as a base for other process
improvement applications [13]. DMAIC solves pro-
blems related to defects or failures,